Wire-fence lock.



No. 822,758. PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906. E. G. OVERHOLT.

WIRE FENCE LOOK.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1. 1905.

77-23237-5661565 1: 27676 fir M M/MZ shown.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELLIOTT G. OVERHOLT, OF HAMILTON, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO SELKIRK FENCE COMPANY, OF HAMILTON, CANADA.

WIRE-FENCE LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1906,

Application filed December 1, 1905. Serial No. 289 715.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLIOTT G. OVERI-IOLT, a subject of the King of England, residing at Hamilton, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wire-Fence Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the ties or locks employed for uniting the upright and. horizontal wires of wire fences at their intersections and more especially to looks of this kind consisting of a single piece of wire.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a strong lock or tie of this character which has no tendency to cause the stay or upright wire to twist on the horizontal wire in tightening or clenching the look by the usual tool.

A further object is to so construct and apply the lock that the intersecting wires are reliably secured against displacement on each other.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of the lock applied to a pair of intersecting wires, Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof. Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevations of the applied lock viewed from opposite sides. Fig. 5 is a vertical section in line 5 5, Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section in line 6 6, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a slightly-modified construction of the lock.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

A indicates one of the stays or upright wires of a fence, and B one of the horizontal wires, the stay being preferably of somewhat larger gage than the horizontal wire, as

The improved tie, lock, or clip consists of a single piece of wire of approximately U form, the bow or central bight c of which embraces the stay, while its end portions 0 c are bent in reverse directions around the horizontal wire or opposite sides of the stay, as shown in the drawings. The bow c of the lock preferably does not cross the stay obliquely, but is arranged at right angles thereto, or, in other words, in line with the horizontal wire, as shown in Fig. 1. By this construction the lock prevents the stay from twisting out of a erpendicular position when closed or clenc ed around the wires by the customary 7 tool, which displacement of the stay is liable to occur when the bow of the lock extends obliquely across the stay. This improved form of the lock by overcoming the tendency of the stay to twist saves the time and trouble incident to springing the stays back to a perpendicular position in building the fence and also insures a sightly arrangement of the stays.

The clenching-tool, by which the eyes 0 c are bent or curled around the horizontal wire, causes-the latter partly to embed itself in the contiguous side of the relatively thick stay, forming a transverse indentation d therein which effectually prevents vertical displace ment of the stay. At the same time the clenching of the lock causes the horizontal wire to be bent or bulged slightly where it bears against the stay, as shown at 6, thereby producing an offset which resists lateral displacement of the lock on the horizontal wire. Before the lock is closed upon the intersecting wires its ends are comparatively straight, as shown by dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 4. In building the fence the locks are passed over the horizontal wires and turned to the position shown in the drawings. The stays are then passed through the locks between their bights c, and the horizontal wires and the lock are finally clenched, as above described.

The lock shown in Figs. 1 to 6 is intended more especially for a wire fence constructed on the farm or field, the eyes of the lock being separated, but the space between them being no greater than the thickness of the stay. When, however, the fence is woven in a loom, the eyes 0 of the lock are preferably brought against each other, as shown in Fig. 7. It is obvious that the lock could be placed vertically instead of horizontally that is, with the bow embracing the horizontal wire and the eyes encircling the stay or upright wire.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of a air of intersect ing fence-wires, and a tie or ock consisting of a piece of wire of approximately U form embracing one of the wires with its central bight or bend and having its end portions bent in reverse directions around the other wire on opposite sides of the first-named wire,

l 10 tal wire on opposite sides of the upright Wire i said central bend being arranged at right ang'les to the upright Wire, substantially as set forth;

Witness my hand this 17th day of Novembr,

ELLIOTT G. OVERHOLT-a Witnesses D. R. C. MARTIN; M. CARR; 

